


sad boy hours

by navso311



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alcohol, Bc they are also dating., Drinking, F/F, F/M, Gossip, H - Freeform, M/M, SADrien, Social Media, adrien and luka are bros, adrien is becoming an e-boy, all of the boys are bros, also not max and kim, bc they’re dating, but the fact that its there is a thing., except Nath and Marc, gabriel agreste does not deserve rigths, good morning, i just talk about it, it’s sad boy hours, lowkey a Twitter au, rights, tw: abuse, uwu
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2020-08-23 22:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20244901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/navso311/pseuds/navso311
Summary: local e-boy @adrienagreste✓sup gays ya boi britney spear’d himself*in which adrien shaves his head after a mental breakdown.





	1. its britney britney, bitch

**Author's Note:**

> eboydrien. sadrien.  
it’s sad boy hours babeyyyy  
also, they’re like 19 (and luka is like 20)

** ** _Wednesday, September 9th, 2020_ ** **

* * *

**l****ocal e-boy **@adrienagreste✓

sup gays ya boi britney spear’d himself

* * *

Adrien sat in Nino’s bathroom, his best friend sitting on the toilet next to him. Both of the boys looked at the sink in disbelief. 

“Fuck. Adrien- how do you feel?” 

The model’s lips stretched into a wide, carefree smile. He shook his head, missing the blonde hair swaying with all of his movements. “Better than I have in a long time. I’ll go grab a broom. We need to clean this up,” Adrien said, gesturing to the blond hair all over the bathroom sink and floor. 

The boy didn’t move; Adrien continued to admire new haircut in the mirror. He actually looked pretty good with a buzz cut. He raised a hand to his head, stroking it. It felt odd but _right_. 

* * *

**britney britney, bitch **@adrienagreste✓

@nino_lahiffe ur the Only One I Trust. 

_ [image of the top of a buzzed, blonde head with a dark hand doing the okay symbol in the back] _

**turtle meenage nurtle tutant **@nino_lahiffe

i support you, you funky lil chicken

**LaDyBuG?! **@acesaire✓

@adrienagreste @nino_lahiffe, what the fuck did you do? @dc.marinette, did you see this? 

**maritrash **@dc.marinette

I- Adrien… Is everything alright? Alya and I are coming over. 

**britney britney, bitch **@adrienagreste✓

im at nino’s bring sweets 

* * *

Alya burst into the Lahiffe household, fuming, with a worried Marinette right behind her. “Adrien, we are here and we brought selfcare care-packages.” 

Marinette threw a smile at Adrien. “And I brought comfort food and incense candles.” 

“Hi, my dad’s Hawkmoth, and he’s trying to get the Miraculous to revive my mother, so I’m in shock. I ran away. And Britney Speared myself. I’m so close to literally throwing myself off a roof,” Adrien said, his eyes downcast as he reached for the bag of sweets. 

Marinette dropped the sweets and threw herself at Adrien, while Nino and Alya stared in disbelief. Adrien didn’t tell Nino anything, other than walking into his house at three in the morning repeating “I’m fucked” before falling asleep on Nino’s sofa with tears staining his cheeks. 

The moment Adrien felt Marinette’s slim hands close around him, he broke. The boy snaked his hands around her waist and buried his head in the crook of her neck, sobbing. Snot and tears ruined her white tee, but it didn’t matter; one of her best friends was torn to bits. 

All any of the three of them could do was be there to put him back together. 

As soon as Adrien tired himself out with his tears, his friends got to work. Marinette went around, lighting her candles throughout Nino’s small apartment, Alya began to cook chicken soup with dumplings, and Nino set up the care packages and sweets Marinette brought. 

Less than twenty minutes later, Adrien woke to the smell of lavender and chamomile. He sat up, groggy and disoriented, with a headache larger than his father’s ego. 

_ Right- my father, _ he thought. Adrien walked over to where his friends were. Alya presented him with her bowl of steaming soup. 

“Chicken soup warms not only the body, but the body and soul, as well,” she said with the wisdom of an ancient healer. 

Adrien flashed Alya a smile. “Thank you, Al.” He took a spoonful of soup, practically melting. It was delicious. 

Marinette sat up straight in her seat. “Adrien. You need to tell us everything you know about Hawkmoth.” 

Nino elbowed her as he nodded in the direction of his stiffening form. “Dudeinette, you probably should chill and let him finish processing everything.” 

Marinette nodded. “You’re right, you’re right.” She walked behind Adrien and hugged him tight, her head resting on his back. She still loved him, but they had gotten much closer since their younger years; Marinette valued him as a friend before a possible romantic partner. 

Adrien shifted in Marinette’s arms so that he could wrap her arms around him. “It doesn’t seem real at all. I’m just so scared. I can’t live with him anymore- knowing what he’s doing.” 

Marinette rubbed his back. “We all can take turns housing you, or something.” 

“Adrien, you know my place is always open to you. Move in with me. Just tell your dad that you’re moving out to gain a sense of independence. Keep your modeling job to bring in the bank.” 

Alya nodded. “That works. Nino has a pullout bed.” 

He shrugged. “I’m the first one of us with an apartment. You guys are gonna crash here eventually. Best I be prepared.” 

The group shared a laugh, but it quickly grew somber. The weight of the situation was finally hitting them.

Alya was the first to break the silence. “Fuck.” She shook her head, laughing mirthlessly. 

“I’m going to make some hot chocolate. We can watch Sailor Moon. I bought the DVDs,” Marinette whispered, waking making her way around the kitchen. 

Nino was right; all of his friends did take refuge in his apartment at one point or another. Alya practically lived there. His three closest friends knew the space like it was their own, because it might as well have been. 

Nino perked up. “My contract is about to end soon. What if we all moved in with each other. We can support each other, emotionally and financially,” he said, a wide smile on his face. 

Alya nodded. “I’m down. But isn’t there that thing- you should never live with your friends bc it would ruin the dynamics of the relationship.”

Marinette shook her head. “But we all are going to be so busy with school, internships, and jobs. Will we really see each other unless it’s an emergency or we schedule it?” Marinette came back to where the group was settled, passing around some mugs. A Magestia one for Alya, a Rena Rouge one for Nino, a floral one that said “Sunshine” for Adrien, and a Chat Noir one for herself. 

“I dunno about it. But whatever gets a roof over my head, I’m okay with,” Adrien muttered, taking a sip of his drink. He smiled fondly at the mug as he put it down. “I still can’t believe you got this for me, Al. This falls right after Marientte’s scarf. Especially since you got this for me for no reason. Like- wow I actually have friends that think of _ me _ , not my status. You guys have been my friends forever and I-” The young man- the _ boy- _ started to tear up once more, bringing his friends in for a tight hug. “I love you guys. So much.” 

It was then that the front door flew open, and a yellow mass tugging a red one behind it made its way to the kitchen. “Adrihoney! I got us matching hairstyles! Well, mine is more like Rose’s used to be, but still! I brought Gami!” One beaming Chloe Bourgeois stood before them with a silent, but smiling Kagami next to her. The blonde was sporting a nice pixie cut, and it didn’t look bad. 

Adrien stared at her with a slack jaw. “Chlo, your hair has always meant to much to you. Why did you cut it?” 

“Fuck Gabriel Agreste, love.” Chloe made herself at home, taking a mug for herself and Kagami. Chloe’s just said “Boss Lady” in gold, while Kagami’s just had Haku from “Spirited Away” wrapped around it. 

“Who doesn’t have a mug in my home? Goddamnit, this is why we can’t have nice things.” Nino’s tone was peeved, but the mirth and love in his eyes begged to differ. 

Marinette thought about it for a moment. “From the people we know? Jagged Stone and Penny. Oh! And Manon. But that’s it, really.” 

Alya pulled out her phone, opening their class’s old group chat. “We are gonna have a little get-together, guys.” The young woman sent a message in the group, calling for a reunion in Nino’s apartment. 

Her boyfriend groaned, pushing his hands up the length of his face. Nino’s glasses were pushed up to his forehead. “Can you at least invite Marc and Luka, too? They’re cool dudes,” he mumbled through his fingers. 

“I’ll tell Kim to bring the alcohol!” Marinette said, smiling big. 

Adrien dramatically draped himself over Marinette, his face contorted in mock-pain. “Oh, how I desire a Cabernet Sauvignon right now. For shame!”

Alya shook her head, smirking. “Nah, kid. You’re having a real experience, tonight. No wine. You’re getting wasted, and you’re going to regret it tomorrow morning. But not tonight!” 

* * *

**britney britney, bitch **@adrienagreste✓

@nino_lahiffe @luwuka @lc.kim this dudes got me fucked man like shit life is good

_ [image of three, one dark and two light, hands holding red cups with beer, and, in the background, Kim has a bottle of Grey Goose raised to his lips, as if he were to drink it] _

_ [image of the four men, all holding bottles of Stella Artois.] _

**kim impossible **@lc.kim

dude i cant belive u didnt like beer b4 this 

**turtle meenage nurtle tutant **@nino_lahiffe

@lc.kim dude just hasn’t had anything but wine. 

**shawty like a melody in my head** @luwuka✓

@adrienagreste @nino_lahiffe @lc.kim we gotta take shots next, unless you’re all pussies 

**maritrash **@dc.marinette

@luwuka that’s not nice yk pussies are strong don’t make me sic your sister on you

**ebony dark’ness dementia ravenway** @juwuleka 

@dc.marinette @luwuka too late i already am plotting his murder. 

* * *

Marinette was seething. She forgot Lila was in the group, the conniving bitch. Lila made herself comfortable, spewing lie after lie. Everyone flocked to her, just like moths to a bug-zapper. 

Everyone except her close friends, for which she was thankful.

Apparently, Lila made the mistake of telling people that she was Rena Rouge, and she lost the support of the Ladyblog. 

Marinette stopped Alya and Nino from exposing Lila, of course. If she had taken the high road, her best friends could too. 

Nino, who was halfway drunk, hugged Marinette tightly. “Cupcakeeeee, I’m so thankful for you,” he stage-whispered, his words slurring. “If you weren’t Marinetting, then we wouldn’t have known that Lila is-”

Before he could finish, however, Marinette shoved a macaroon into his mouth. “That Lila is such a good person, yes, we know.” Marinette’s eyes darted from wall to wall, making sure no one was listening. They would take Lila down in time, but now wasn’t the moment. 

They needed to be there for Adrien. 

The rest of the night passed in a drunken blur, and, soon enough, most of the men there had shaved their hair to a short buzz in solidarity. 

* * *

**britney britney, bitch **@adrienagreste✓

@nino_lahiffe @luwuka @lc.kim @max.kante. @nath_miraculouscomics @marc_miraculouscomics @ivan.ks

_ [image of all of the young men from their class, along with Marc and Luka. All shaved their heads, except Luka, and various colors of hair were all over the floor] _

me n the boys with our shaved heads. luka’s hair is insured so we can’t rlly shave it. same with mine, but this just means that my dad’s insurance is gonna go up but honestly? 

fuck him. 

* * *

They all stood with their sunshine boy: Adrien Agreste. 

By the end of the evening, everyone started sobering up and, the only people left in Nino’s apartment were the six that started the party and Lila. 

She walked up to Adrien and hugged him tightly. “I don’t know what’s going on, Adrien, but you know that you’ll always have me.” 

In a way that surprised even himself, Adrien roughly shoved the woman away. “Cut the fucking bull crap, Rossi.”

Lila was taken back. Adrien had hinted that he knew what she had always been lying, but had never explicitly stated it. Lila did as she always did. “What are you talking about, Adrien?” She lied, letting out a slight laugh of disbelief. 

Adrien stalked towards her, a dark scowl on his face. He backed her against a wall, and he leaned in so that their faces were inches apart. “You know _ exactly _ what I’m talking about, _ Lila, _” he growled. 

Lila fought the urge to blanch. The scent of the alcohol heavy in Adrien’s breath mixed with his stench from not having bathed in over 24 hours and the faint smell of cheese made Lila almost vomit. She threw her grievances to the wind as she slid a hand up his chest and onto his shoulder, only for him to harshly slap it away. “Please, Adrien. I just want to help you!”

Lila could only scream as he punched the wall right next to her, denting it slightly. 

“You’ve helped enough!” He howled, his eyes darker than the rest of his features. 

He didn’t even register the stinging pain and blood pooling from his knuckles. 

Marinette and Nino rushed to his side, pulling him away. Kagami appeared with a first aid kit, gently wrapping his hands in gauze. He let his best friends push him into a chair, his gaze downcast. “The only reason I know that my dad is Hawkmoth is because I saw you enter his office and literally ask if he could akumatize you again.” He shook his head and laughed dryly. “I can’t believe you’re working with the fucking bastard. But honestly? We should have expected this.”

Lila’s face contorted to one of disgust and pity. “If that’s how you wanna play it, so be it,” she spat. “We really could have been great together, Adrien.” 

The young woman walked out, not glancing back at the glares casted her way. 

Chloé put a hand on the small of Adrien’s back and led him to the bathroom. “Adrikins, you need to take a nice, warm shower. It would be best for you.” 

Once they heard the shower running, the group convened around Nino’s coffee table. They sat in silence for a good ten minutes. 

“Chlo, do you think that you can cover the dent in the wall? I don’t think my insurance covers a warranted but angry punch,” Nino asked, sipping at mug full of rose hips tea. It was a bitter tea, but it kept him awake. 

“Of course, Lahiffe. But what do we do about Adrien?” The heiress asked, twiddling her thumbs. Tears beaded at her eyes and she leaned into Kagami’s embrace. “He’s my oldest and closest friend, and I just want him to be okay. He’s not going to be at home at the hotel, and he can’t just waste away in Nino’s apartment. He needs something to do this summer, or all of this will eat him up.”

“Seconded,” Alya said, rubbing her face and pushing her glasses onto the top of her head in one fluid movement. “Does Adrien have any hobbies?”

Kagami let out a chuckle. “Besides the ones that his father made him do? Maybe playing video games. But that’s it.”

“My parents always need an extra hand at the bakery. Maybe he can help? Bring in a little income? I don’t think that Adrien should be modeling for Gabriel anymore. He probably can get some more gigs somewhere, but for now? He should work at the bakery.”

Alya snapped her fingers, lighting up. “Marinette!” She cried, looking in her best friend’s direction. “Your brand is taking off! You’re bringing in bank, man! Adrien can model for your men’s line! It’s a good way to get his name back in the business because he’s only ever been associated with Gabriel’s brand.”

“Alya, he’s right-“

“Slapping the MDC Label on him will make other companies want him!”

“Glad to know that I’m treated like an object here, too.” Adrien walked out from his place in the hallway, sitting between Marinette and Nino, wearing only a pair of sweatpants. A small town was nestled around his shoulders. 

Alya playfully glared at him. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

For the first time since sobering up in the shower, Adrien laughed. “Yeah, I know. You guys are just trying to help. And I appreciate it, I really do. But I’m going to withdraw all of my money from my trust fund _ and _ my bank account in the morning, and then I’m gonna put it all in a different bank. Then, I’m going to post an add for tutoring in the library; a lot of kids need help with science and math, two things I’m very good at. After that, I’m going to contact a few companies who my father didn’t like and see if they would like a model any time soon. That said, however, I would not be opposed to working at the bakery and modeling for you, Marinette.”

All of them looked at Adrien, dumbfounded. 

“How long were you in the shower! Were we talking in slow motion? How did you figure all that out?” Chloe asked, her brows knit. 

“I’ve been plotting since I ran away,” Adrien shrugged, grinning crookedly. 

Nino looked at him with wide eyes. “You came here at three in the morning and just plopped yourself on the couch?” He asked. “Did you plot in your sleep?” 

Adrien let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. It was weird to not feel hair at the name of his neck, but it was what it was. “I kind of found out at around eight thirty last night. I spent the night by our old school. It just made sense, you know? Going to the place where I met my _ real _ family. Anyway, I snuck into our old classroom and slept at my old seat until I woke up at two fifteen in the morning. I was going to go to Marinette’s place, but my phone was dead, and I didn’t want to wake everyone in her house up.”

Nino glared at him without malice. “But you woke me up? You’re a dick.” 

Adrien raised his hands in surrender. “I knew where the spare keys are! You’re just a light sleeper.” 

Adrien laughed, before laying his head in Marinette’s lap and his feet in Nino’s. The two leaned back onto the sofa. Alya decided to make herself comfortable, resting her head in Adrien’s stomach and holding Nino’s hand. Kagami moved the coffee table away as Chloé made herself comfortable in a position similar to Alya’s. 

Kagami, ever the one with common sense, looked at the gaggle of young adults and shook her head. 

“Come on, everyone. Get up. Nino, go get your mattress from your room,” she commanded, pursing her lips. 

Nino, with Alya’s help, did as she said, letting it fall to the floor. 

Chloé sat down on the mattress on the floor, watching as Adrien pulled out the bed from the sofa. 

“Nino, is that the same one we used when we were kids?” 

Marinette nodded. “Yep! Nino didn't want to buy a sofa, so his parents gave him this.” 

Chloé kicked off her shoes and pushed Adrien off of the bed, letting him land on the mattress on the floor. 

“Mari, Neen, you’re sleeping here, with me. The three of you can perish,” the blonde girl said, pulling her friends up with her. 

Nino laughed, shaking his head. “That’s the bosslady for ya.” 

Alya looked at them, incredulously. “I can’t get over how Chloé did a one-eighty in the middle of our second year together. Like- that was not what I was expecting from the girl that was harassing my best friend.” 

Marinette shrugged. “I had a feeling she’d grow out of it. She and I used to be closer than- I dunno- peanut butter and jelly before she and Sabrina became friends.” 

Chloe shrugged, curling up to one of Marinette’s sides. “I wanted to be like my mom, and Sabrina reminded me of myself whenever my mom was actually around.” 

“Sometimes,” Nino chimed in from Marinette’s other side. “I feel like Gabriel is _ slightly _ better than Audrey in that right. At least Gabriel _ pretended _to care about Adrien sometimes. Your mom never gave a shit.”

“Don’t I know it. I’m literally her daughter.” 

“So- who’s turning off the lights?” 

“Sunshine, you pointed it out. Go.” 

After a few moments of shuffling around and giggling, the lights went off, and Adrien participated in his first sleepover. 


	2. chap 2, electric boogaloo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> media chapter only whoop whoop

** _Thursday, September 10th, 2020_ **

* * *

** _Thursday, September 10th, 2020_ **

**beebitch to (ad)rien **

_ (10:43): _ADRIKINS!!!! i gotchu a lawyer. 

_ (10:43): _ one of my professors knows a guy that can help you do shit

_ (10:44): _im coming over and gami and i are gonna take you shopping! 

**(ad)rien to beebitch**

_ (10:44): _ nice ive always wanted my own lawyer. 

_ (10:44): _oooooo ive never been shopping b4. let’s go we gotta get the job done!!!!!! 

**beebitch to (ad)rien**

_ (10:45): _ gotta start a new nation gotta meet my son! 

**(ad)rien to beebitch**

_ (10:45): _...

_ (10:45): _is it okay if it’s just you and me? i miss rich bitch time :(((((

**beebitch to (ad)rien**

_ (10:47): _oh adrien! of course! lemme just tell her. 

_ (10:53): _the deed is done. she’s not coming. she was very sad and we cuddled for like a few mins but then I had to goooooooOooooooooooo. im omw

* * *

**Outgoing Call:**

**Alya: **Hey girl, what’s up?

**Marinette:** Alya, can you come over? I need to talk to you about something. 

**Alya:** Kinda preoccupied at the moment. Just talk to me. 

**Marinette:** I’m really worried for Adrien. He’s had such a messed up life, and he’s always been able to bounce back from his father’s idiocracy, but what if he doesn’t this time? What if he just falls and keeps falling until he crashes and can’t get up. I just want the best for him and I-

**Alya:** Alright, honey, I’m going to stop you right there. You need to _ not _ protect him from everything. Adrien is strong. He’s only going to go up from here. I can feel it in my bones. We have known this boy- _ you _ have known him and been in love with him- for so long! It would be wrong of you to doubt him. Don’t think of yourself as his shield, but his back up. Support him when he falls. Be there for him so he doesn’t hurt himself even more. He’s going to fall, but you can at least cushion him. As friends before lovers, that’s just the least you can do for him. 

**Marinette:** So… It’s a perpetual trustfall?

**Alya:** Exactly! That’s exactly what love is. 

**Marinette: ** That makes so much _ sense _. 

**Alya:** Of course it does. I’m me. 

**Marinette: **I think I feel like my love is changing. No, that’s not the right word. It’s- ugh, I dunno how to word it. 

**Alya:** Is it evolving? Like, is it still romantic but in a more mature sense?

**Marinette:** Wow, you’re really on the nose with the wording today. 

**Alya:** What else do you expect from a literature and journalism double major?

**Marinette:** Hardy har har, very funny. But seriously. My love for him is going in a different direction from when we were kids. It’s turning into something more… _ appreciative _ , for lack of a better word. Don’t get me wrong- I still get fluttery when he’s around, but when I’m with Adrien? Everything feels so incredibly _ light _, and I can feel myself be safe with him. 

**Alya:** Love isn’t having no care in the world with someone. It’s sharing your burdens and knowing you’re not alone. Love isn’t everlasting euphoria. It’s knowing that someone can be by your side through even the hardest of times. Love is a comfortable constant in your life, and it’s knowing that you have support no matter what. If that’s what you’re feeling with Adrien, then that’s real, adult love. 

**Marinette:** We are only 19. You’re not even 19 yet! Your birthday isn’t for another month! How do you know so much about love?

**Alya:** I was lucky to have found Nino early in life. We both regret not dating around more, but, I think, in the end, we still would have found each other. He’s the love of my life, and we probably are going to grow old together. I love him a lot. 

**Marinette:** Yeah, I could tell. Honestly, the last few years have been you and Nino on the motorcycle with Adrien and me in the sidecars. It’s been good. 

**Alya:** Hmm...

**Marinette:** I can hear you smirking stop that or I’m gonna cut you off from your croissant supply. 

**Alya**: I was just thinking about how, one day, you and Adrien will be on your own motorcycle. 

**Marinette:** You made the analogy weird, stop that. I can feel you smirking! Stop it!

**Alya:** _[laughs]_ I’m just saying! You don’t know what could happen!

**Marinette: **When do you think you can come over? I need to take your measurements. 

**Alya:** For what? Girl, I haven’t commissioned you for anything.

**Marinette:** I want more experience making gowns and suits. And all of my lovely friends will be my models. Why am I volunteering them? Because they love me and could never say no to me. 

**Alya: **Only if the dress is fitted. Mar, babygirl, you know I like showing off my curves. 

**Marinette:** Oh, of course! The material I bought for you is a shiny deep purple that shines pink in the light. I was looking for something with purple, but nothing really spoke to me like the fabric that I got. I’m really excited. It’s a kind of Jessica Rabbit deal.

**Alya:** Okay, so you makin me hot n’ shit, ain’tcha. Alright, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. 

**Marinette:** ‘Kay, see you in an hour!

**Alya:** Marinette!

**Marinette:** Am I wrong though?

**Alya:** Yes! I’ll be there soon. 

**Marinette:** Pft, sure. 

**Alya:** Ugh, I hate you. See you in a bit. 

**Marinette:** Byeeeee. 

**Call disconnected. **

* * *

_ “Trouble in the Agreste Manor? _

_ “Good afternoon my dear listeners! My name is Pierre Donnadieu, your god-given gossip! Here’s what we know about the whole Agreste fiasco! _

_ “Adrien Agreste was found leaving his manor at about 8:30 on Tuesday, the 8th of September. The reason for his leaving is unknown. All that we know is that someone spotted him scaling down his wall and wandering through the dim streets of Paris. One of our photographers managed to capture a picture of him breaking into his former collège, Collège Françoise Dupont, and simply sleeping at a desk on the second floor. His clothes looked like they were not of the Gabriel brand, rather they were simple Costco brand sweatpants and t-shirt, all black. On the model’s feet were knock-off Birkenstocks. You can find it on our website _

_ “Rumor has it that he is currently living in his best friend’s apartment. Nino Lahiffe, up and coming teenage DJ and short film director, was shown to have helped Adrien shave his hair in an act of teenage rebellion against his father. According to the model’s twitter, his best friend hosted a reunion party with his old collège classmates, most of whom who have gone on to create incredible careers for themselves, including the members of Kitty Section, an alternative rock band who features Jagged Stone’s two children, Luke and Juleka Couffaine, as well as Juleka’s girlfriend, Rose Lavillant, and Ivan Bruel. The party also included Max Kante, one of the world’s leading A.I. developers, Alix Kubdel and _

_ Lê Chiến Kim, two of Paris’s own Junior Olympic athletes, Mylène Haprèle, a new actress who was nominated for the César Award for the Most Promising Actress, Marc Anciel and Nathaniel Kurtzberg, creators of the international comic: The Miraculous Ladybug, and Sabrina Raincomprix, youngest detective in the Police Nationale. The party’s roster also included even more notable names, such as Alya Cesaire, creator of the Ladyblog and the lesser-known HotSpot, a social media for fans of all things superhero (real or fictional) all across the globe, _Chloe Bourgeois, current heiress to the Bourgeois Hotel’s across France and student at Sorbonne Law School, Tsurugi Kagami,_ current champion of International Fencing Federation, Lila Rossi, the daughter of a French UN Ambassador, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, rising and incredible designer and fashion connoisseur. Marinette is known for her MDC Label and her out of this world designs for names like Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, and many more! _

_ “At this party, however, more than just fun went down. A credible and anonymous source says that Adrien was drinking as though he was experienced, and he was bad-mouthing his father. He also was getting handsy with the source, claiming that she was the only one who could make it better. This was false, however, because our source said that he was doing the same to other girls. Also, Marinette Dupain-Cheng was bragging about how she stole her designs from various smaller designers and outsourced them, making sure they stitched her name into the label. _

_ “Do we really know everything behind the story? Was Adrien really doing all of the aforementioned misdeeds? Did Marinette really steal others’ designs? Tune in tomorrow to find out!” _

* * *

**Outgoing Call:**

**Adrien:** Hey, Chlo, what’s up?

**Chloe:** Did you hear the radio? That Pierre bitch! Ugh! Ridiculous! Utterly _ ridiculous! _ God-given my whole _ ass! _

**Adrien:** Hold up, Nino is calling me. I’m gonna merge them. 

**Nino:** Hey, did you hear the radio?

**Adrien:** Why does everyone keep asking that? Marinette is calling me, I’m adding her. 

**Alya:** _Did you hear the fucking radio?_

**Marinette:** Alya! Stop moving or I’m gonna prick you! But seriously Adrien, did you hear?

**Adrien:** No! I didn’t! What happened?

**Chloe:** Lila happened, obviously. She went to the Pierre Donnadieu’s radio show, and gave herself as a source as to what happened at the party. 

**Adrien:** Of course she did. 

**Chloe: **The worst thing that happened was that vomit got in the hair, and it dried. 

**Marinette:** _[snorts]_ You’re telling me! Nino and I were the ones who had to clean it!

**Alya:** Guys! We have more pressing matters at hand!

**Chloe:** Speaking of pressing matters! I already arranged for a press conference!

**Nino:** I pulled up Marinette’s exposing Lila folder on GoogleDrive, and I’m sharing it with all of you guys. 

**Marinette:** Oh, wow, I’ve had the same password since we were 12, so I’m not even offended that you just got in. 

**Chloe:** Yeah, bakerartgirl2001. I can’t believe that’s still your go-to email address. 

**Alya:** _Anyway_, I just pulled up the folder, and, damn, Marinette! This thing goes back to _literally_ her first day! Holy fuck, you really knew she was a damn lie. 

**Marinette:** I may have forgiven you guy, but I’m still fucking angry that you didn’t believe me in the first place. So don’t even start. 

**Nino:** …

**Alya:** … 

**Chloe:** _So…_ The press conference is at ten in the morning tomorrow, and I already got a lot of media coverage. Nadja didn’t believe a word Donnadieu, and she was the one who pushed for the conference. She will be getting the folder after we finish the conference, and anyone else who gets it must be a hacker. I made Max put extra firewalls on all of our docs like, yesteryear. Just in case, you know. For my friends. 

**Adrien:** Chloe Bourgeois, you sentimental bitch. 

**Nino:** Everyone should come over, we need to plan our course of action. 

**Chloe:** I’m already on my way. Should I bring Kagami? Adrien will need a bodyguard. 

**Alya:** That’s not a bad idea, Chlo. Do it, she’s scary and can help us. 

**Marinette:** Alya and I will be a few minutes though. I’m almost done with her measurements, and I'm just putting the fabric in place. 

**Nino:** I can’t believe Lila had the audacity to discredit you like that. She _really doesn’t_ like you. 

**Marinette:** I’m the only person who really poses any threat to her. I have many connections and actual talent. 

**Adrien:** I’ll put the coffee to brew, see you guys. 

**Marinette:** Peace out!

**Alya: **Byeeee!

**Chloe:** We are already on our way!

**Nino:** Adrien, you made a challenge. People are calling it the sad boy challenge, and young adults all over the world are shaving their heads in honor of teenage rebellion!

**Alya:** Bitch, you got influence!

**Marinette: **That's really... shitty though. Adrien shaved his head in an act of defiance against a person who was kinda mentally and emotionally abusing him, not regular teenage rebellion. 

**Adrien:** What if we made some sort of like- I dunno. An organization to bring awareness to it? I know that's really first-world problemy of me, but still. 

**Alya:** But it's really not. My parents, who are both immigrants from Martinique, were both manipulated by their parents. They pretty much ran away to Paris to get married. My mom was betrothed to a wrinkly old man, and my dad was to a girl who wasn't even sixteen. A lot of third world kids are abused, physically _and_ mentally, and an organization like this could really draw attention to it. 

**Kagami:** Guys, shut up. We can continue this conversation when we are all there. But that said, I think the organization will be an excellent idea. 

**Call disconnected. **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no cap, this is an all-media chapter, and I'm not really sure of how it came out! If you have any feedback or advice, feel free to hit me up! my tumblr is below. thank you for reading! have a wonderful day!
> 
> https://foofoocuddlypoopsgavesokkaapples.tumblr.com


	3. chap 3, my google history now has "funny press quotes" in it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chlo-chlo arranges a press conference.

Adrien hadn’t slept a wink last night. 

Okay, that was a bit of a lie, but he slept for about three hours, and that was it. The six of them ended up having another impromptu sleepover, but it wasn’t as fun. There was such a somber and scary weight on his shoulders, and his only comfort was Marinette’s warmth cuddled up to his side. He held her close and buried his nose in her hair, taking in the scent of her strawberry scented shampoo. She was such a good friend. 

Maybe she was more than a friend, but Adrien didn’t want to overwhelm her with all of his family drama. That, and he didn’t want to ruin the friendship he worked so hard for. If Adrien had known it would backfire, he would have still befriended her, but he would have _ at least _ prepared himself for the spitfire called Marinette. He really wanted to be Adrien Dupain-Cheng.

It wasn’t until he finally took her into his arms that he was able to sleep properly. 

Adrien woke up at eight in the morning with Marinette’s arms tightly wrapped around his torso and her head buried in his chest. He could feel himself internally combust. The incessant beeping of someone’s phone alarm overpowered Adrien’s love adoration for Marinette and made him gently pull him from her grasp to shut it off. Upon seeing that it was a beautiful picture of Kagami, he realized that the phone belonged to Chloe. 

He looked around for his friend but instead saw a rack of clothes. 

Right. 

He and Chloe went shopping yesterday, and she insisted on buying business casual clothing for everyone. 

She had some sort of premonition for these kinds of things, and Adrien had never felt so grateful. He started the automatic coffee maker and set it to make 12 cups, knowing that the six of them would easily drink two before the morning was over. Adrien trudged to his way to the bathroom and was about to knock on the door when it flew open when both Chloe and Kagami walked out. Steam slid from the small room, and the two young women looked awfully flushed. He blinked once, twice, then three more times before realizing that they were only in their towels. He let out an inhuman screech before pushing past and shoving them out of the room. 

They did the _ fucking _ do in there. He was gonna vomit. They were still _ children _. 

Adrien immediately grabbed the bleach from under Nino’s sink, sprayed everything, and started _ scrubbing _. He felt the urge to pray to the porcelain god, but the young man repressed it. As soon as every hard surface was bleached, Adrien left to make himself a cup of coffee, seeing that he couldn’t yet take a shower. 

As he took a sip of his coffee, black with an unscrupulous amount of sugar, he made eye contact with Kagami, who was pulling her hair, now past her waist, into a sleek high ponytail. She was wearing maroon slacks with a silk white button-down and black suspenders. In her hands were black four inch Louboutins. She had a blazer on the sofa to her left. 

She smirked at him, and Adrien _ felt _ his skin crawl. The young man chugged the rest of his coffee before trudging to the bathroom to finally take his shower. 

As he let the hot water beat down against his skin, the weight of his situation fell onto his shoulders all at once. He wasn’t a young man. He was still just a _ boy _ , a _ child _. 

A child who just wanted his parents. 

From some twisted point of view, Adrien _ got _ what his father was doing. He didn’t want to, but he did. If his father _ did _ get the ladybug and black cat miraculous, he could bring back his mother. They could be whole again. 

Hypothetically. 

A harsh banging on the bathroom door brought him back to reality. 

“Sunshine, get outta there! The rest of us gotta take care of ourselves, too, you know!” Alya’s loud voice called. She was used to rushing people in the bathrooms, especially since Ella and Etta were teenagers now. 

Adrien turned off his pipe and stepped out, wrapping his towel around his waist. He walked out of the bathroom to see Marinette and Alya simply engaging in a tête-à-tête. Seeing the Marinette blush and sputter really made him feel a little bad; did his being indecent really make her so uncomfortable? 

Keeping one hand tight around his towel, he raised the other to the back of his neck and smiled, sheepish. “Sorry, I forgot to bring my clothes here.”

Alya looked the young man up and down and smirked, squinting. “Adrien, can we pierce your ears?”

He grabbed his earlobes and tugged them softly. “They’re kinda already pierced. They have been since I was twelve. It was the first time I ran away and got them done at Claire’s. My mom high-fived me for it, but my dad monetized it. Most of the ears you see in the ads for earrings are mine. Anytime I feel them closing, I wear an earring to sleep for a solid week.”

Both of the women blinked. “You fucking _ what _?” Marinette shouted after a minute. 

“Nino! Did you know Adrien had his ears pierced?” Alya called to her boyfriend, who was walking out of his room down the hall. 

“Oh, yeah. All the guys know. Me and the guys, minus Adrien, were chilling out one day, and we all decided to get our ears pierced. I text Adrien later that day, telling him what happened and how sad we were that he couldn’t join us. Dude leaves me on read, and half an hour later, he sends me a picture of him in a full face of dramatic makeup, his hair in a long ponytail- he got fucking a wig- long-ass nails, and big hoops.”

“Was that for the androgyny drag show that you participated in? I thought those earrings were fake!” Marinette asked, her eyes big and curious as she looked at him. He just wanted to hug her. 

Adrien nodded, shrugging. “Yeah. That one was actually my dad’s idea. He knew that a lot of Pride advertisements were just out there to get companies more profit, but the majority of the proceeds from all of his Pride related stuff went to LGBT+ organizations around the world. As much of a _ bad guy _ my dad is, he respects people. Well, he doesn’t respect anyone but that's because he thinks that he is above everyone, and everyone below him is equal. He probably wants the miraculous to find my mother or something. He went about it the wrong way, but he has good intentions.”

His three friends exchanged looks, and Marinette groaned. 

“Adrien!” She exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders. She squeezed them lightly, looking at him with her usual firm and steadfast gaze. “You need to get this through your thick skull! Your father, whether he meant it or not, was abusing you. He was terrorizing Paris! You have no reason to ever sympathize with him.”

Adrien clenched his jaw and forced himself to pull away from her soft, comforting grasp. “Not everything is as black and white as you think, Marinette,” he glared, his voice running deep. “I am still so angry at him for everything that he has done and everything he will do. My father needs fucking therapy, and I need to push for it. Yes, honestly, some jail time could do him some good because his actions are inexcusable, but he is not a bad person! If he could just _ let go _ , but he can’t because he is the incredible and invincible Gabriel Agreste. My father is just human, and he needs _ help _!” 

Nino rolled his head as he pursed his lips. “I mean, I’d have to agree with Adrien here. We don’t know his reasons for being Hawkmoth, but bringing back Emilie Agreste seems like it could make sense. The last time I was at his house was actually when Adrien threw an event for his mother, and Gabriel spoke at it. He actually had emotion in his voice and cried real tears. Nathalie ended up escorting him off the stage.”

Marinette furrowed his brow while Alya looked at Nino with an incredulous expression. 

“I don’t recall any media coverage on that.”

“Nino, baby, why didn’t you tell me?”

The man raised his hands in defense. “It was a very private affair. Only her closest friends were invited. I came along as Adrien’s moral support, and that was only after directly emailing Nathalie myself. “

“So that’s how you got in.”

“Dude, I thought you knew. You’re my best bro.”

“_ Bro _, I love you, so much homo.” 

“God, bro, you’re my _ bestest _ bro. There isn’t enough homo.”

Adrien pulled Nino a hug, only to let out a light squeak. “Dude, my towel is gonna fall.” 

Alya pursed her lips and pushed Marinette into the bathrooms, hot on the short woman’s heels. 

“Come on, lil lady. Take your shower. Don’t worry, I won’t look. I’m a committed lady.”

Marinette snorted. “It’s not like you haven’t seen everything.”

The girls laughed as Adrien stepped away from Nino and fixed his towel. 

“Thanks for supporting me there, Nino. Seriously,” Adrien said, smiling brightly. Nino rests his hands on Adrien’s shoulders, looking down at him. “Of course I would man. One, you’re my bro. I have to. And two, I saw your dad feel actual emotions. You guys love her, but she’s gone. You understand that, but he doesn’t. Therapy can help him if he wants it.”

“Thank you again, Nino. You’re the best friend a guy could have.”

“That’s a damn lie. You know that if I didn’t have Alya or if you didn’t have Marinette, we would be dating. I am your fucking soulmate.”

Adrien laughed and walked into Nino’s room to get ready for the day. 

*

Adrien could feel his chest tighten, and he screwed his eyes shut. 

Everything was so _ close _, and it made his skin crawl. He didn’t like it. He needed out. 

Suddenly, he was getting a face full of fresh air, and he felt _ just enough _ tension in his chest release. 

He could breathe properly again. 

He opened his eyes to see the window of the limousine rolled down, and Nino and Marinette were sitting on the floor, giving him enough space to breathe. Chloe’s finger was on the button to lower the window, while Alya’s hand was rubbing his knee. All of them were still engaged in their conversations, but, somewhere in between, they noticed his anxieties, and helped him. 

Adrien sat back in his seat, assured. He was going to be okay. Mostly. 

He looked down at his outfit and brushed some imaginary dirt off of his pants. He was wearing black and white plaid chinos and a black turtleneck. His pants were cuffed at his ankles, and he white socks with black Vans. Around his waist was a double prong belt with silver accents, and on the belt loop in front of his left hip was a silver chain that connected to the belt hoop on his lower back. Around his neck were a few silver chains while a flat, black stud was in his right ear and a peridot crystal hung half an inch from his ear. On his left hand was a black leather watch with silver and white face. He looked _ damn _ good. It was his first time picking out his clothes himself and he didn’t feel as preppy as his father made him look. 

Adrien vibed with this. 

Marinette, who was on the floor in front of him, sat in a pink chiffon wrap dress that had a red string as its tie. She wore half-hoops that had red rhinestones in them, while her usual black studs sat in the piercing right above them. Her strappy three inch heels were the same color. 

Nino, right next to her, sat in khakis, a forest green blazer, and an off-white turtleneck. Nino had one simple gold chain hanging from his neck that had a square pendant and simple letter “A” on it. 

Alya, who sat on Adrien’s left, wore a burnt orange sheath dress. She wore a necklace similar to Nino’s, but the pendant was a locket that had a picture of the two of them inside. She wore nude heels, and on her wrist was a gold charm bracelet with six pendants. 

Chloe sat perpendicular to Adrien with her legs crossed. She wore a black button down, tucked into a black pencil skirt with yellow and red flowers. On her feet were four inch white pointed-toe stilettos. 

Adrien looked down at his outfit and pouted. 

“Guys, I feel so out of place. You all look so business professional, and I look like a baby.”

“That’s okay, though,” Alya began. 

“You _ are _ baby,” Nino picked up, resting his head on Alya’s lap. 

Chloe laced her fingers with Kagami’s. “You are collectively everyone’s baby. You and Marinette. Both of you need parents.”

Kagami nodded, snorting. “Honestly. Marinette needs impulse control, and you need some parental love.”

Alya laughed, throwing her head back. “Oh my god, that is _ too _ true. Marinette is the wine aunt friend. She’s kinda out of touch with everything, but she cares deeply about everyone and everything. But _ even still _, no one can control her, and she’s a loose cannon. But we love her.”

“Adrien is the weird-cool uncle who you see, like, every other month but he always gives you stuff, but he also needs love because he has abandonment issues.”

“This is getting way on the nose, and I do not like this.”

“Adrien, they aren’t wrong. Does this mean we are married? Adrien, will you marry me?” 

Marinette went on one knee and took Adrien’s left hand. She kissed the back of it, leaving a bright red stain on it. 

Nino chuckled to himself, tapping away at his phone. “That’s going on snap, no cap.”

“Private, please. The paparazzi doesn’t need to see this.”

“Of course, Chlo.”

** _Ten minutes later_ **

“Fuck.”

“You posted it on your public story, didn’t you.”

“You know, Al, I don’t really need your sass ri-”

_ “Nino.” _

“I did, and what of it.” 

Adrien groaned, letting his head fall into his hands. “The tabloids are going to be all over this! ‘Brat Adrien Agreste dating the Wannabe Marinette Dupain-Cheng.’”

Marinette pouted, feigning hurt. 

Adrien saw her hurt expression and grabbed her hands, locking eyes with her intensely. “Not that I wouldn’t want to be married to you, Mari. It would be an honor to call myself your husband.” 

Marinette blushed deeply and gaped like a fish, and so did Adrien. Alya, ever the savior, slapped Adrien’s back and laughed heartily, clutching her stomach with her free hand. “You guys are too much, I’m going to cry.” The others laughed, leaving Marinette and Adrien still in sputtering messes. 

The limousine slid to a stop, and the door was opened by Jean, Chloe’s butler. The six walked to the conference room of the Hotel in silence, all of them somehow around Adrien. Marinette and Kagami walked in front of him, their mere presence commanding authority. Alya and Chloe were at his sides, their heads held high as they walked with confidence. Nino walked behind them, towering over most everyone in the area. The young man felt protected by his family around him. 

It was nice to feel safe. 

The group stood at the doors, and they all took a collective deep breath. Adrien pulled Marinette into his little circle, holding her hand tight. “Stay with me, please,” he whispered, staring blankly at the door. 

Marinette laced their fingers together and looked up at him, admiring the sharp curve of his jaw and the light stubble that was there. “Of course I will, Adrien. I always will.”

Kagami pushed the double doors open with a dramatic flair, and the group slid in, oozing confidence all around. They walked onto a stage, and Chloe stood at a podium. 

“As all of you know,” she began, her voice loud and powerful as she spoke into the microphone. “Adrien Agreste’s emancipation from his father took place earlier this week. Let it be known that Adrien currently harbors no ill-will to his father. His tweets about his father and teenage rebellion really were just that: teenage rebellion. He does not want to go back home because he does not want to heed all of his orders anymore. Adrien is still willing to be a model for _ Gabriel _ , but he wants to have his own contract, and he wants to be treated like a _ real _ employee.” Chloe turned her gaze directly to the camera, staring at it with a burning intensity. “Gabriel Agreste, you can contact me, and I will make an appointment for you to meet Adrien’s lawyer. Thank you.” She looked back at the audience. “I turn the mic over to my associates, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste.”

Marinette and Adrien stepped up to the podium, still holding hands. Covering the mic with her free hand, Marinette looked to Nino and Alya. “You guys got the projection working? Max is doing it, right?”

“Yep,” Nino said, while Alya nodded soundlessly. 

Marinette nodded once, before turning back to the mic. “Good morning, everyone. As you may know, Pierre Donnadieu spoke about Adrien and me in his radio show. He claimed that I was a fraud and that Adrien was a brat based on an anonymous source. His source was at a get-together with our old classmates, where Adrien and I found our families. Our first year in Collège Françoise Dupont was where all of us found the people we were meant to be. I started my fashion career there. If you could draw your attention to the projector behind me, please.” A screen rolled down behind the group, displaying a Google Slides with Marinette’s designs. She flipped through the slides, showing the audience her work and craft. “My most remarkable works from that year include a bowler hat I created for one of Gabriel’s many competitions, glasses for Jagged Stone, and an album cover for him, as well. Nino found his love for music, while Alya found her love for journalism.

“During this year, a new girl came in. Her name is Lila Rossi, and she was at this get-together. The six of us have reason to believe that she is the anonymous source who spread the rumors about us. She is a dirty liar who does not think about anyone else, only herself.

“I found out she was lying when I saw her steal a book from Adrien. Admittedly, I was spying because of my intense crush on Adrien at the time, and I followed them outside of the school.”

“Wait, what? You had a crush on me?”

“Still have, Adrien. But now isn’t the time. Anyway, I saw Rossi claim that she was the holder of the Fox miraculous, and Ladybug herself confronted Lila, saying that she was not the holder of the Fox miraculous. Lila proceeded to get akumatized to be Volpina. She eventually was defeated, but, in the process, gained a hatred towards Ladybug. She left the next day, claiming that she was touring the Kingdom of Achu. She came back months later, saying that she gained tinnitus by saving Jagged Stone’s cat. I have a video of him saying that he never had a cat.”

Marinette switched the slide and played the video, and it was Jagged Stone himself saying that he was allergic to cats and that he would never want one. 

“She said she needed to sit in the front and ended up moving me to sit in the back alone. I knew she was lying, and so did Adrien. She threatened me later that day, claiming that she was going to take all of my friends, and I almost got akumatized. When I displayed enough will to _ not _ get akumatized, she got akumatized instead and turned into the Chameleon.”

Behind her, Alya and Nino shared a _ look _. 

“Did you know of this?” She whispered. He shook his head. 

“I knew it was an akuma, just not Lila.”

“Even before that, during the Heroes Day attack of 2016, she appeared as Volpina.” 

A low rumbling came from the muttering audience.

Adrien interjected. “We think that she lied about going to Achu and that she also lied about my and Marinette’s behavior at the get-together. The worst thing that happened was that my friends shaved their heads in silent solidarity, and that’s not even that bad.” 

“And the most I’ve copied from others’ work is using their clothes as stencils so that I could cut and sew myself. That’s how I got into fashion in the first place.”

Chloe nodded, leaning over to the mic. “I can confirm. When we were eleven, she and her parents made a ton of outfits for our school play by hand.” The next slide was a proud group of children in clothes designed for the American South in the 1890s. “We did Tom Sawyer, and Marinette was in charge of the stage crew.” 

Marinette bit back a smile as she turned to Chloe, giving her a look. The law student shrugged and backed off. 

Nino and Alya stepped up to the podium as Marinette and Adrien moved away. “My girlfriend and I only found out that Lila was a liar after claiming that she was Rena Rouge to our class after she had come back to school. The necklace she used was one from the _ Gabriel _ Autumn collection of 2016, but she said that her grandmother gave it to her.”

“In an old interview with Ladybug and Chat Noir, they claim that ‘miraculous users are only the most trustworthy of companions that we would like to fight with.’ They also stated that Ladybug chose _ all _ of the miraculous holders besides herself, Chat Noir, Hawkmoth, Mayura, and Jade Turtle, rest his soul,” Alya said. “Nothing added up, and we confronted Marinette because she didn’t believe her since the beginning.”

“She showed us a folder on Google Drive with all the evidence she was collecting over the years and showed us that Lila was a liar, and we didn’t want to beat around the bush. We wanted to expose her right then and there. But Marinette stopped us because she didn’t want Lila to get akumatized.”

Kagami stepped forward, putting her two cents in. “The only reason that we hadn’t exposed Lila earlier because we all knew she wasn’t hurting us the way she wanted to, but due to Donnadieu’s radio show, we needed to say something before it would further escalate and damage our reputations.”

Chloe moved next to her girlfriend, linking their elbows. “We are ready for questions, thank you.” 

Hands and notebooks went up, and Marinette picked the first reporter. “Chammack?”

“Marinette, is it true that you were to be Ladybug in the Clara Nightingale music video, but you denied it in favor of using your entire class?”

“Of course I denied it. Why should I have all the limelight when I could share it with my friends?”

Alya clapped her hands, not letting Nadja press for more. “Next question!” 

“Adrien, what’s your home situation?” A random reporter shouted, not waiting his turn. 

Chloe rolled her eyes and looked to Kagami. “This is why I hate men,” she whispered. Turning back to the man, she spoke into the microphone. “No comment, next question!”

“Mlle Bourgeois, were you not one of Mlle Dupain-Cheng’s tormentors? Did you not copy her bowler hat entry? Why are you and your girlfriend two of her main allies?”

“I hated Marinette because she was every person that I wanted to be when I was younger. But far before that, she, Nino and I were close friends, and then a flip switched. My adoration for her turned into jealousy and it tore the three of us apart. Kagami also had a thing for Adrien, but we both just want what’s best for him.” Chloe paused, taking a deep breath. “Marinette is one of my best friends, now, and she deserves nothing but the best, let alone the slander on her good name.” 

“Kagami, what is your sexuality? How did you and Chloe meet?” 

“I am very pansexual. We met at one of Gabriel’s many galas. Chloe hated me for no reason, and I thought it was very endearing.”

“I had a good reason! Adrien deserves the best, and I was really over protective of him.”

“Chloe, did you have feelings for Adrien?”

“I wasn’t interested him, I am a raging lesbian.”

“Nino, Alya; why didn’t you believe Marinette the first time she claimed that Lila was a liar?”

The room grew tense, and Adrien slid his arm around Marinette’s shoulders, holding her close. 

Alya closed her eyes before taking a deep breath. “Rossi was telling us everything that we wanted to hear. She told me that she was Ladybug’s best friend, and I believed her.”

“She told me that she knew Spielberg and Kendrick Lamar. We were spoon fed these lies, and we didn’t want to _ not _ believe her. We only learned that she was lying when she claimed she was Rena Rouge, even though she was Akumatized into Volpina.”

“Marinette, these are two of your best friends, and they didn’t believe you. How did you forgive them?”

Alya outwardly cringed while Nino turned his gaze downcast. 

“Simple. I haven’t,” Marinette stated, bluntly. Her two friends flinched. “I forgave them for believing lies because I would have done the same if I wasn’t suspicious of her and Adrien. But I do not forgive them for belittling me and betraying my trust like that. It was wrong of them, and they know better now, for which I am thankful. But I do not forgive them.”

“Adrien, what made you shave your head?”

“My father always thought of me as the perfect son, and it reflected on our image as a Perfect Family. He kept me busy, and it felt like I was only a pretty face to him. He put me into so many extracurriculars that the only talent I made for myself was playing video games, and even then, I’m nothing compared to Marinette. I hated it. I think I hated_ him _ for a few hours. What better way to stick it to the man to change one of the things most valuable to him. I didn’t want to make any permanent changes like dying my hair or getting a tattoo or another piercing, so I went with something that can be changed in due time,” Adrien said, rubbing his head. “Upon further dwelling, I soon realized that my father’s negligence was nothing but an unhealthy coping mechanism. At least, I think it is. In due time, I may think about going back to live with my father, but, for now, it’s a big no. As to why exactly I shaved my head, my father can control a perfect image if the image isn’t so perfect anymore.”

“Adrien, what is it like being surrounded why such talent when you, yourself, consider yourself just ‘a pretty face?’”

“It was hard, for a long time. All of my friends can do so much physically and then here I am, a nerd. The only thing I could do right for them was swipe my debit card and play sugar friend. I got friendship in return, and that’s all I needed. Then, I found my passion in helping others. I'm supportive, what can I say?” Adrien paused for some of the audience to laugh. “But seriously- I tutored my classmates in the sciences, math, and history.” Adrien looked into the nearest camera and pointed a finger to it. “By the way, if you guys need any kind of tutoring, hit me up on @agrestetutoringservices on instagram, or [ adrien.agreste@ats.com ](mailto:adrien.agreste@ats.com). I’ll hold free online classes, kinda similar to lectures and Khan Academy, but a bit more interactive. You’ll have to pay for any one-on-one classes.”

Alya elbowed Adrien. “Dude, time and place. Advertise later.”

The blond nodded his head once. “Right, of course. Anyway, all of their talents come out to something tangible, but I’ve learned that I am incredible in STEM courses- I’m well rounded in all of them. I’m the jack of all trades, master of most. I realized that I don’t need an incredible passion because not having one doesn’t make me less of a person.” 

The questions continued like that for about another hour, and Chloe intervened every time the questions got a bit personal. 

It wasn’t until the group of six made their way up to Chloe’s old room that they were able to relax. Adrien let himself fall onto her sofa as he groaned in relief. 

“God, that was a fucking _ nightmare,” _ he said, leaning his head back 

Alya tugged off her heels and sat on the bed, looking at her friends. “So what now?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *the link does not work
> 
> *this was the in-depth version of their outfits *pleading emoji*
> 
> Marinette, who was on the floor in front of him, sat in a dusty pink chiffon wrap dress that had a red string as its tie. Her sleeved were baggy but closed at the wrists. She wore her usual studs but moved them to her second piercing. In her original piercing, Marinette wore gold half-hoops that had red rhinestones in them. Her strappy three-inch heels were the same color. She was only wearing mascara and lipstick, but the color was a bright, stunning red.  
Nino, right next to her, sat in khakis and a forest green blazer. The blazer was corduroy, and inside of it was an off-white turtleneck tucked into his pants. He pulled his outfit together with brown loafers that matched a brown belt. Nino had one simple gold chain hanging from his neck with a square pendant. On it was a simple letter “A.” On his wrist was a gold watch with an off-white face  
Alya, who sat on Adrien’s left, wore a simple burnt orange sheath dress that showed off all of her curves. The neckline came high on her neck, and there was a skinny v that showed off her collarbones to the top of her bosom. She wore a necklace similar to Nino’s, but the pendant was a locket that had a picture of the two of them inside. She wore hanging gold earrings, and her curly hair was pulled into a low bun with a side part. On her feet were suede nude high heels, easily five inches. She stood taller than him at a staggering 6’2 with the heels, even though she was still shorter than Nino, who was 6’4. On her wrist was a gold charm bracelet with charms of first five miraculous that were active, all gold. The sixth charm was a square pendant that had an “N” on it. However, She was wearing a full face of makeup, but it was a soft, nude glam.  
Chloe sat perpendicular to Adrien with her legs crossed. She wore a black band collared shirt with flat pearl buttons. It was tucked into a black pencil shirt that had big tumeric yellow flowers and smaller faded red ones all over it. On her ears were black pearl studs. Around her neck was a thin silver chain that had a circular


End file.
